


Rapunzel Appreciation Week

by Ashybae



Category: Rapunzel's Tangled Adventure (Cartoon), Tangled (2010)
Genre: F/M, Gen, I want to hug her, Rapunzel Appreciation Week, Rapunzel is definitely like a bird, THEY BOTH LOVE EACH OTHER SO MUCH, Tagging as I go, We're done!, and cute!, arianna deserved better, brunette rapunzel is BEAUTIFUL, change my mind, frederic isn't exactly that great, goddammit cass, i love new dream, it's great, look at her, rapunzel and arianna NEEDED more interaction, rapunzel as flynn rider, rapunzel getting and new mom??? and getting used to it, she looks so happy!, sunshine is the best nickname rapunzel has ever gotten, who doesn't love it, young rapunzel is the cutest thing
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-26
Updated: 2020-08-01
Packaged: 2021-03-05 20:35:20
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 4,419
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25531450
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ashybae/pseuds/Ashybae
Summary: Little stories for Rapunzel Appreciation Week, taking place from July 26th to August 1st.I promise I'm working on the Cassandra tower fic I've just been feeling low motivation for it lately.
Relationships: Eugene Fitzherbert | Flynn Rider/Rapunzel
Comments: 6
Kudos: 24





	1. Birthday

Rapunzel smiled down at the chameleon camouflaged into the wall beside her. “You can come out now,” she said. “Mother’s not here anymore.”

Pascal changed his scales back to their usual green color, chirping up at her. Rapunzel leaned down to pick him up in her hands, placing him on her shoulder.

Mother was always gone on her birthday. She would drop off a present, ask her to sing, then lecture her on not going outside, then leave. So, like many nights, Mother was not around, and Rapunzel could do whatever she wanted—today just so happened to be her eighth birthday.

“What do you want to do, Pascal?” she asked the chameleon. She had found him dead on her window sill several days prior, and healed him back to life. At the time she thought he was a frog, but when she passively asked Mother if frogs could change color, she had stated that that was a chameleon.

Pascal chirped, pointing his head towards the basement door Mother had gone down just a moment ago. Rapunzel caught wind at what he was suggesting. “We can’t go outside. It’s dangerous.” Pascal frowned at her, but she wouldn’t budge. Mother had told her about all the dangers of the world. And if she caught Rapunzel, then the blonde girl would be in a lot of trouble.

“It should be time for the floating lights soon,” she said, walking towards the window. “You haven’t seen them, have you?” She didn’t think Pascal was that old. The window was already open, letting her look out at the night sky. The sun was just beginning to sink, so the first light would appear soon.

“Mother says they’re stars, but I don’t think so,” she said. “They don’t look like stars. And they only appear on my birthday; they always appear on my birthday. Oh! I see one!” She pointed to a little light flying up in the distance. “Isn’t it pretty, Caspal?” she asked, pronouncing his name wrong purposefully. He chirped playfully at her as more and more lights followed that first one. Soon, when the sun had sunk down completely, they illuminated the night sky, overtaking the stars.

How Rapunzel wished she could see them up close.

She wondered, if she were seeing them up close, could she touch them?

Pascal seemed to notice this and pointed his head forward, leading to Rapunzel shaking hers. “I can’t. I’m sorry.” He’d been getting more and more insistent she should leave ever since Mother yelled at her for asking to go out. Didn’t he see that it was bad out there? Even if she did think Mother was overreacting, even if she wanted to go out too… She didn’t want to leave Mother behind, or see what might happen if she found out about it. Besides, the woman would be back soon, anyway.

“Let’s watch the lights a bit more, okay?” she smiled softly at her friend.

And so they watched as her birthday lights floated high up in the sky.


	2. Sunshine

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Eugene loves Rapunzel. She's the light of his life; his sunshine.

Rapunzel was Eugene’s sunshine.

Everything she did, every word she said, just the sight of her filled him with love and warmth.

It also probably helped that she was, literally, the sun—or at least, partially. She was the wondrous and magical Sundrop. Of course, that wasn’t why Eugene fell in love with her.

Even without the Sundrop, she was wondrous and magical in every way, to him. In her own way. It had nothing to do with the circumstances of her birth or whatever powers she had. It was all her; he loved  _ her. _

And she loved him.

He couldn’t help the smile that formed on his face when she passed by him. Her beautiful green eyes gleamed with happiness that was just so contagious.

He wouldn’t have it any other way.

As always, she turned to him, nearly bouncing on her bare feet. “Hi, Eugene!” she greeted with a small wave. She smiled, causing Eugene’s smile to grow wider back at her. Despite the fact that she never used a nickname, or maybe because of that fact, he always enjoyed her calling him by his name—his real name. Maybe it was just him, but it always reassured him that she loved Eugene as Eugene, not as Flynn Rider or anyone else. That he was Eugene Fitzherbert and she loved him.

“Hey, Blondie,” he replied. “How ya doing?” She seemed excited, even more so than usual—and the fact that she had her hands firmly behind her back did not go unnoticed by him.

“I’m great! Never better!” She grinned at him. “There was just something I wanted to tell you.”

“Oh, really?” He raised an eyebrow playfully. “I never would’ve guessed, seeing how excited you are, and how you’re clearly hiding something behind your back. Nope, I do not see anything you might want to tell me at all.”

She giggled, rolling her eyes fondly. “Here,” she said, revealing what was behind her back.

A cupcake. Pink frosting, blue cup, a few sprinkles and a cherry on top. He recognized it almost immediately; it was the same kind of cupcake he’d gotten them on her first birthday outside. “For me?” His voice was high-pitched, but he was just so grateful. The fact that she loved him was just so great… He didn’t think it would ever get old.

“I love you, Eugene Fitzherbert,” she said softly, the shine from the sun illuminating her, making her features more pronounced. The sunshine lighting his sunshine. There were no words to describe it.

She pulled out a cupcake for herself. They both began to eat theirs at the same time, their eyes full of love for each other.

“And I love you, Rapunzel,” he said after finishing his cupcake.

They sat together on the edge of the fountain in the Royal Gardens. “Isn’t this so pretty?” Rapunzel asked.

“The prettiest I’ve ever seen, Sunshine,” he replied, but he wasn’t looking at the Gardens.

His eyes were all on Rapunzel. His sunshine.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> not rapunzel's perspective but eugene loves his wife!!! you know he does. sunshine is the best nickname he gives her


	3. Destiny

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rapunzel sets out to fulfill her destiny.

Rapunzel looked down as her bare feet touched the rocks, feeling their cold surfaces underneath. They all pointed in one direction.

Beyond the walls of Corona.

She didn’t know where exactly they were headed, but she knew she had to follow them. Nobody told her, but she knew. It was her destiny. She had to.

She lifted her head as her birthday lanterns lit the dawn sky, the sound of everything else fading away.

Finally, she turned around, looking at everyone else with her. Eugene smiled warmly, knowing exactly what must be done. Her dad looked reluctant, but seemed to realize it as well. Her mom looked supportive as well, so did everyone else.

She smiled, and soon after, she was on the road with her friends.

Rapunzel looked down as she touched her hand to the rocks. She was here, where she was supposed to be, where she could fulfill her destiny.

But she had a feeling her story wasn’t over yet.

She opened the doors to the Dark Kingdom.

Rapunzel opened the doors to the Moonstone’s chamber.

She and her friends stood there, panting. She slowly looked up, staring ahead.

“We made it, guys,” she breathed, and she could almost feel their shock as they stared at the Moonstone.

She stepped forward, uncertain. This was it. She could feel it. She looked down as her feet touched the cold, smooth ground. It was time.

She looked up again as she felt the Moonstone, her hair reacting to its closeness—it glowed, lifting itself up in the air. It lit up the rocks nearby, pointing them upwards, then towards the opal.

Everything around them turned blue. She could feel the power just out of her reach.

She took in a deep breath, closing and opening her eyes, looking forward. There was no bridge across the doom pit that was a bunch of black rocks at the bottom. But Rapunzel wasn’t scared; she knew that she would be okay, somehow.

She stepped forward. Something new appeared beneath her feet. She smiled, taking another step. And another. And another. She gradually became more confident, looking into the black cage surrounding the gleaming, blue stone. She was entranced by its beauty, and knew then that this was what she was supposed to do.

Eugene stood beside her. She turned her head eagerly to Cass—the swordswoman smiled back, but her eyes were facing down, and it seemed like a sort of sad smile. Rapunzel, still smiling, brushed her shoulder, walking towards her friend.

“Look, I know these last few months haven’t been easy for us…,” she started softly, taking Cass’s hands in hers. “I wanna thank you. For everything,” she whispered, and hugged Cass, wrapping her arms around her shoulders.

Rapunzel didn’t feel any arms back.

“Okay, Rapunzel,” Cass said. “It’s time.”

Rapunzel pulled away, and grinned at her friend for a moment. Then, she turned away to Eugene. The love of her life.  _ The Moonstone may be the Sundrop’s destiny, _ she thought,  _ but Eugene is  _ my  _ destiny. _ He was her new dream—maybe not so new anymore, but he was still her dream.

He always would be.

She stood beside him as they held hands.

“This is it, Rapunzel,” Eugene began, smiling at his girlfriend. “Now go get your destiny.”

She grabbed his hand suddenly with both of hers, kissing it, and placing it on her cheek. She felt the warmth that radiated from him, meant for her. “I love you,” she breathed, and he kissed her forehead. She booped Pascal, earning a happy chirp from the chameleon.

Then, finally, she turned towards the Moonstone. She walked over, once again entranced by its beauty. It opened its cage in a gleam of white and her heart pounded in anticipation. It was there, it was right there.

She slowly reached out to it, her eyes gleaming. There it was, the thing she was meant to take and control.

If only she heard the very soft sound of swift footsteps and clanking armor. But she was too focused on the Moonstone, because it was right there in front of her.

Her destiny.


	4. Alternate Universe

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Roleswap AU; Rapunzel finds a mysterious tower in the woods.

Rapunzel panted, hiding against the back of a boulder. That had been a close call.

She smiled, looking at the satchel around her neck. The lost prince’s crown, all hers. She’d successfully stolen it. She started to frown at that, even though she knew she should be happy. That crown had been the royal family’s last reminder of their stolen son. And she’d had to leave the Stabbington Brothers behind as she was running away, too… She really hadn’t wanted to. Friends don’t leave friends behind, after all; but they were slowing her down and the guards were catching up quick and…

Whatever. She sighed. It was better this way, right? She got to have her riches. The others didn’t matter, did they?  _ Is this something Flynn Rider would do? _ Her childhood idol, the dashing rogue in her favorite book series—he wouldn’t do this. He  _ arrested _ the villains, he wasn’t one of them!  _ I’m not a villain, _ she tried to tell herself. But everytime she stole, even though she knew it was necessary to survive—was it, really?—she knew she was doing something illegal, and would be seen as such. She was a criminal, and sometimes she really did feel like a villain.

_ If I sell this, I could get all the paints I want. _ That somewhat excited her. She did love painting. But was it really necessary to steal all a grieving family had left from their child?

She shook her head. Don’t get all tangled up in feelings.  _ I bet Cass isn’t having such a bad time. _ Her friend and thieving partner never thought too much about what she was doing, or at least, she never showed that.  _ I don’t know where she is now, but she’s probably doing better than me. _

She stood up. She was Rapunzel! She shouldn’t be fussing over stuff like this. She brushed a bit of her short brown hair out of her face. Beautiful, thieving maiden. Not too bad with the ladies or gentlemen. The most wanted criminal in Corona.

She’d seen one of her wanted posters just recently. They never could get her eyes right, for some reason.

That black horse was gone now. She didn’t know what to call it, since she hadn’t been able to see its nametag, but it did have some sort of goatee thingy and a few white spots. A pretty horse. Pretty strange, that was.

She had decided to lean back against a wall of vines against a rock wall, but it turns out, they weren’t against any rock at all. The space behind them was empty, and this caused Rapunzel to fall back with a loud yelp.

She heard the sound of… hoofsteps? Her heart quickened. So that horse  _ was _ still here, after all.

She got to her feet as quick as she could, leaning against stone again. She really hoped that horse wouldn’t find her, please don’t find her—

She stiffened as she saw the silhouette of the horse through the vines. It looked around.  _ Please go please go please go please go, _ she pleaded silently.

After a very long, tense moment, it didn’t seem to notice her and clopped away. She stood there for a moment, the adrenaline from the situation just about wearing off. It… It hadn’t seen her? She— she was safe? She was safe!  _ I’m safe. _

Still, she made absolute sure that it was gone before moving. Letting out a huge sigh of relief when she didn’t hear it coming back, she turned away from the vines and went through the tiny tunnel.

She was expecting a clearing, sure, but what she  _ wasn’t _ expecting was a huge tower right smack-dab in the middle of the clearing. The scenery was beautiful, and she felt the sudden urge to paint it right then and there. She might have had well done that if she actually had any paints on her, or if the threat of being caught wasn’t hanging directly over her.

That being said, she now had a good hiding spot, so that threat could be lessened.

She made her way over to the tower, just about resisting the urge to marvel at every little thing around her. It was hard, but she managed.

When she got there, she brushed her hand over the stone and moss. It seemed like nobody had cared for it in a while, or at least the outside, but was also sturdy and would likely last a few hundred more years. However, at the top which she could just barely see, there were some semblance of flowers, maybe. They looked as if they had been deliberately cared for, but she would have to get closer to know for sure, and if someone  _ was _ there, it was probably better than getting caught by the guards.

She noticed how strange it was that there was no door. Or anything to climb on. How would anyone get up there every day if they lived there? Perhaps that was another sign it was abandoned.

Still, she knew she could get up there.

She pulled out some spare arrows the guards had shot at her as she was running that she’d managed to pick up. She began digging them into the cracks between the stone bricks, and though flimsy, they were sturdy and would hold her weight.

Slipping her own bare feet into the cracks, she began to climb.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This was actually pretty fun to write!! Sorry this was kind of late, stuff just happened. I managed to get this out, though.


	5. Life As A Princess

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rapunzel wears shoes for the first time.

Life as a princess hadn’t exactly been what she’d expected.

To be honest, Rapunzel didn’t even  _ know _ what she’d expected. She hardly knew anything about princesses and princes and kings and queens. After all, Gothel had tried her best to keep details of the outside world to a minimum, and Rapunzel only ever had three books about geology, cooking, and botany respectively.

She’d packed those up, along with her paints and a few other things. Despite the bad memories the tower brought back, it was still her childhood home—a place full of good memories as well as bad ones. That being said, she’d made sure to pack light, and completely ignored her old hair still on the ground.

She also had some new clothes, too.

It took awhile for them to settle on something she both liked and fit into, but eventually they settled on a purple dress not too different from her one in the tower to wear on a regular basis.

Rapunzel couldn’t say she absolutely loved the corsets, or buckles, or bows, but although they were restricting and she did not like being restricted, they were fine. She could handle them.

What she could  _ not _ handle were shoes.

It felt strange to actually have something on her feet. The first time she wore them had been something of a disaster.

“Shoes?” Rapunzel frowned at the things her mother was holding in her hands, then at her own bare feet. A need for shoes had never really occurred to her. After all, her feet were highly calloused, and it wasn’t like Mother— _ Gothel, _ she corrected her mind, for that woman was not her mother—had ever really cared enough to buy them for her, anyway. The sudden realization of why she never got shoes sort of upset her, but she could handle it. That woman was her kidnapper, and had never cared for her.

“Yes,” Arianna nodded, a kind smile on her face. “I know it may be new to you, but we want you to feel right at home here, and the sooner you get used to shoes, the better. It’s proper royal etiquette to wear them, after all.”

“Oh, right—yes, yeah, of course. Proper royal etiquette.” Rapunzel tried her best to stand regally, but royally failed. She didn’t know if she would  _ ever _ get used to ‘proper royal etiquette’. “Yes, Mother.”

The queen frowned slightly at that, and brushed her daughter’s cheek. “You don’t have to call me Mother, you know. You can just call me mom. Of course, if you’d prefer Mother, then you may, but…”

Rapunzel smiled reassuringly. “Mom sounds nice,” she said. But, though Rapunzel really did want to say mom, both she and Arianna knew it would take some getting used to.

“Well, how about we try these on?” Arianna suggested. Rapunzel nodded in agreement.

Arianna helped slip the shoes on Rapunzel’s feet. Already they closed around her toes too much. She frowned, feeling as if they were much too tight. She attempted to stand up, and…

“Woops!” Arianna reached out to catch Rapunzel before she hit the ground. Guilt immediately flooded through Rapunzel. Oh no, did she mess something up? She looked up at the woman’s face, feeling scared as she saw the woman trembling. She knew this. Gothel sometimes did this whenever she was about to get angry, to yell.

“I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I’m sorry! I didn’t mean to, I just—”

Rapunzel caught off when her mom started to make noises. Noises that sounded like...laughing? “You’re not mad…?”

“No, of course not!” Arianna laughed. Soon enough the laughter died down and she was smiling warmly at the princess. “And I’m sorry if I made it seem that way. Just know that if something like this ever happens again, you don’t need to apologize for it.” She brushed away some of Rapunzel’s brown hair, looking into her eyes. “You’re not with Gothel anymore. Mistakes and accidents happen. They’re not your fault. No one’s blaming you for messing up. You’ve never exactly worn shoes before, so of course you’re not very used to them yet. It kind of reminds me of someone…” Rapunzel tilted her head curiously as Arianna trailed off. “Here, how about we take them off for now? I know how uncomfortable they must be. We can try again later. And, hey,” she added, “maybe I could even ask your father if you could be allowed to be barefoot outside your royal duties?”

“You would do that?” Rapunzel asked, less tense now.

“Well, if it’s just casual, then I don’t see why not.” The short-haired brunette smiled.

And so, they took the shoes off.


	6. Brunette

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's hard to adjust to being a brunette when all your life, your hair was blonde.

Being a brunette after 18 years of being blonde was strange, to say the least. Sometimes she still thought of herself as blonde. Like, if you were to say, ‘green eyes and long blonde hair’, she would think you were referring to her, even if that was definitely not true now.

It also was strange not being able to use her hair to climb. Rapunzel couldn’t count how many times she nearly fell off a tree and worried her father sick. And the lack of familiar weight was a bit off-putting, too. Even if she didn’t show it, seventy feet of hair was  _ heavy, _ and sometimes she found herself walking oddly.

That wasn’t to say it was all bad, though, or that she didn’t enjoy it. For the first time ever, she finally felt truly free. She wasn’t bound by her hair anymore—she was quite happy with how her hair was now, and it was great.

That was until  _ that night _ , when Cassandra snuck her out and she touched these strange, spiky black rocks, and suddenly her blonde hair was back—only this time, it was heavier, unbreakable and the Healing Incantation didn’t even work with it. Just when she was getting used to short brown hair, too.

So, for another two and a half years, she was Rapunzel the blonde, not Rapunzel the brunette.

Which was why, when she finally cut her own hair, when she was finally free, she felt a huge weight lifted off her shoulders.

It would take a while to get used to again, she knew. But she also knew that it was worth it.

Finally, she was not bound by any destiny, any ancient magic inside of her.

She was Rapunzel. Rapunzel the brunette.

A little while after that last cut, after Zhan Tiri’s defeat, she’d been sitting with Eugene somewhere.

They locked hands for a moment, smiling at each other.

“You know, I said it before, and I’ll say it again,” Eugene started. “One thing that hasn’t changed: I still have a thing for brunettes.”

Rapunzel giggled. “Well, lucky for you, I have a thing for a man named Eugene Fitzherbert.”

“So, the same thing?” He grinned charmingly, brushing back his own brown hair. Rapunzel once again laughed.

“Yeah, I guess it is the same thing, huh?”

“Well, I suppose I could be more specific, though.” Eugene looked into his girlfriend’s eyes. “I have a thing for a woman named Rapunzel, and she’s the most beautiful brunette I have ever laid my eyes on.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> this was a bit short because i wasn't sure what to put here that i wouldn't use for the last prompt, but i hope it was enjoyable nonetheless!


	7. Chapter 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rapunzel is like a bird.

Rapunzel was a free spirit.

Even as she gazed at the limited amount of the outside world she could see from her tower, she knew this. Even if, technically, she wasn’t free  _ yet _ , inside she knew that was what she was.

She grabbed a paintbrush, searching for an empty space on a wall. Mother never really cared that she painted on the walls, just so long as she stayed out of Mother’s room, or never went outside.

Her new painting was of a bird, flying free in the sky. It represented her, she thought.

Like a bird, she would soar free one day, as soon as she was able. She would fly.

Like a bird, she was a free spirit.

Rapunzel was a free spirit.

That was more clear now than ever. While she did have trouble getting used to short brown hair, she felt free, a huge weight lifted off her shoulders.

She could fly now, just so long as her dad let her. And he did. Usually. She was allowed free reign of everything, at the moment.

She grabbed a paintbrush, taking out a canvas in her room. Her parents knowingly provided her with art supplies. They knew she was a painter and supported her in any way that they could, because unlike Gothel, they loved her.

Her painting was of a bird, perched on a branch, looking out at the sky. It was content where it was, but still, it longed to see the outside world.

Like a bird, she would explore freely some day, as soon as she was allowed. She would fly.

Like a bird, she was a free spirit.

Rapunzel was a free spirit.

Even trapped inside the walls of another tower, she knew this. Even if her father didn’t believe it.

She grabbed a paintbrush, prancing over to her bedroom door. There was a large empty space there, and this was her room. She could paint wherever she liked.

Her painting was many different birds, flying over her door in pretty colors. They may be trapped inside for now, but they knew that soon they would see light.

Like a bird, she would fly out of this tower and soar into the sky. She would fly.

Like a bird, she was a free spirit.

Rapunzel was a free spirit.

She was out in the world, doing as she pleased. The outside world was simply astounding. She couldn’t believe she never saw all of this before!

She grabbed a paintbrush, opening her journal to a new page. The journal her mother had lovingly given her.  _ Plus est en vous, _ or in English,  _ there is more in you,  _ it always greeted her with. She smiled, starting to paint.

Her painting was of a bird, flying with its wings spread in the sky. It was out in the world, growing and flourishing in the way it should.

Like a bird, Rapunzel would find her destiny, and soar freely around the world. She would fly.

Like a bird, Rapunzel was a free spirit.

Rapunzel is a free spirit.

More free than she’s ever been, she’s fulfilled her destiny, married Eugene, and become queen of Corona. She’s earned her happily ever after.

She grabs a paintbrush, turning her journal to the final page. One left. She will make use of it.

Her painting is of three birds—two are sitting together in the corner. They are together, and couldn’t be any happier. The third is flying away, to search for her own destiny.

Like a bird, Rapunzel has searched the Earth, soared and set herself free. She has flown.

Like a bird, Rapunzel is a free spirit.

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


She writes two little words in the center of the page:

  
  


**THE END**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And that concludes Rapunzel Appreciation Week! I hope you all enjoyed reading this!


End file.
